Method and apparatus for processing and/or recycling of materials

A device for treating, processing, and recycling materials comprising plastic materials, the device comprising:

• at least one receiving container comprising a cutting compactor;
• a mixing and comminuting apparatus for the plastic materials, wherein in each of the at least one receiving container, in a side wall of the receiving container, in a region of a level of a lowermost mixing and comminuting tool closest to a base, an opening is formed through which pretreated plastic materials can be removed from an interior of the receiving container, and in that at least one conveyor comprising an extruder having at least one screw rotating in a housing arranged for receiving the pretreated materials emerging out of the opening;
• a spectroscopic or spectrometric measuring device for analyzing particulate materials moving in the interior of the receiving container and obtaining information comprising at least one quantitative or qualitative characteristic variables of the particulate materials, wherein the spectroscopic or spectrometric measuring device is configured for inline measurement of at least some of the particulate materials moving in the interior of the receiving container, and the spectroscopic or spectrometric measuring device is further configured to:
• emit a physical action comprising electromagnetic radiation for exciting the rotating particulate materials;
• and
• detect in a spectrometric manner, measurement signals comprising characteristic spectra of the electromagnetic radiation scattered on measured materials, as a reaction to the physical action;
• and
• a processing and control unit being in data communication with the spectroscopic or spectrometric measuring device, the processing and control unit is configured to control the spectroscopic or spectrometric measuring device to emit the physical action and to detect the measurement signals and to keep available measurement values determined in this manner, and on a basis of determined measurement values to derive the information of respective measured plastic materials, the information comprising the at least one quantitative or qualitative characteristic variables of the particulate materials, and to keep the information available,
• wherein the processing and control unit interacts with, and is in data communication with, a process-control unit, wherein the process-control unit is configured to use the information transmitted by the processing and control unit, the information comprising the at least one quantitative or qualitative characteristic variables of the particulate materials, for monitoring and controlling process management in the receiving container and to use a subsequent process chain.